The Free Clinic of Simi Valley’s traditional passing of the reflex hammer from Dr. Tracey Young to ​Dr. Heather Washington. Washington takes over for Young as the Clinic’s attending physician for 2016-2017 (Photo: Fred Bauermeister)

​SIMI VALLEY, CA (July 21, 2016) – The Free Clinic of Simi Valley, in partnership with Kaiser Permanente for over nine years, is welcoming its newest class of resident doctors for the 2016-2017 term, and saying farewell to those graduating from their respective programs. Since 2007, the Free Clinic has partnered with two of Kaiser Permanente’s training programs, the Woodland Hills Family Medicine Residency Program and the Pharmacy Residency Program.

The Kaiser Permanente Woodland Hills Family Medicine Residency Program partners with a number of local “safety net” clinics like the Free Clinic of Simi Valley to provide medical services to the underserved. Kaiser Permanente resident physicians volunteer at the Free Clinic on a rotating basis throughout their three years of training.

A Chicago native, Dr. Heather Washington, moved to Southern California three years ago. Washington is a graduate from University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine. She completed her residency at Kaiser Permanente Woodland Hills while volunteering at the Free Clinic before becoming the Free Clinic’s attending physician. Dr. Tracey Young has served as the attending physician with the Free Clinic in the 2015-2016 term. She has also joined the Board of Directors of the Free Clinic. Dr. Young is looking forward to the birth of her first child and plans on continuing with Kaiser Permanente after her maternity leave.

About The Free Clinic of Simi Valley The Free Clinic of Simi Valley, celebrating its 45th Anniversary in 2016 has provided continuous service since its establishment in 1971 as a non-profit, volunteer-based charitable community service organization. The mission of the Free Clinic of Simi Valley is to provide medical care, counseling, dental, and legal assistance to individuals and families in need, regardless of their ability to pay. This includes those of all ages, ethnicities, religions and socioeconomic backgrounds, who are unable to use traditional sources within the community. The Free Clinic of Simi Valley is a GuideStar Gold Exchange participant, a status awarded for exemplary nonprofit transparency.

About Kaiser Permanente Southern CaliforniaKaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve more than 10 million members in eight states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health. For more information, go to:kp.org/share.